Sewing-machine.



P. W. MERRIGK.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1901.

1,077,625, Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-11311! 1.

F. W. MERRIGK.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIOI? FILED JULY 8, 1901.

LQYKSQfi Patented. N014, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

urnn PATEN FRANK 'W. MERRICK, OF BOSTON, Iv'IfZeIJQAOH L SETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION LUCK STTTCH COMPANY, OF BGSTON, MASSACHUSJEITS. A CORPORAJIIGN GE MAINE.

SEYVIhTGdlEACI-IINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

l atented Nov. 4t, iWLS.

Application filed July 8, 1901. Serial No. 67,395.

To alias/1.01mi! may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. Mansion,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain and useful. Improvement in Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specifloat-ion, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. The invention consists in improved feed ing arrangements designed more especially for employment in hooked needle wax-thread sewing machines. 9

A machine embodying the present invention, in the best'formthereof which I have yet contrived, is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which latter- Figure 1 shows the said machine in section .in a. vertical plane extending lengthwise of the main or driving shaft of the machine. Fig. l is a detail of-the feeding mechanism. Fig. 2 shows the said machine partly in end elevation viewed from the left hand side in Fig. 1, and partly in vertical section. Fig. 3 a detail view of certain portions of the feed mechanism, partly in vertical section. Fig. lis a detail view thereof in plan, partly in horizontal section. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the presserfoot lifting mechanism.

The fixed frame or casting of the machine comprises the base a, the needle-post a carrying the work-support a the main post a, and the overhanging arm or gooseneck a. The head of the machine is designated 7), the same being formed or provided with suitable hearings in which work the awL bar a carrying the awl c, and the presser bar (Z carrying the presser-foot (2'. For the actuation of the awl-bar c, the latter is connected operativelv in suitable manner with the rotating shaft e extending throughthe upper portion of post a and also lengthwise of arm a". Herein, the connection comprises a link 0 which is combined in usual'mannor with a crank 0 fast with the left-hand end of shaft 6. Shaft e is, in the present case, the driving shaft of the machine.

In carrying one portion of my invention into effect, I form the head Z) of the machine with a cylindrical extension or sleeve, as b, and. I bore out the arm or gooseneck at to receive the same, the said extension or sleeve fitting within the bore of the said arm or gooseneck, which is formed or provided with one or more bearings therefor, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. Extension or sleeve 5 itself is formed or provided with one or" extension or sleeve and the'head b may be rocked freely as required in occasioning the lateral or feeding movements of the awl and presser-foot, without interfering with the proper working of the parts or disturbing the, relations thereof with respect to one another.

In its most complete form the machine embodying the invention includes a clampmg member f arranged at the opposite side from the prcsser-foot (Z relative to the material to be operated upon. The under clamp f is mounted at the upper end of a post 7 with which a rocker f is provided, and it works in a slot o with which work support a is formed. For the purpose of cansing the under clamp fto move laterally in unison with the awl c and presser-footd in effecting the feed of the material to be operated upon, rocker f is operated synchronously with the head 7) and in the same direction therewith. The means of operat-. ing the head 7) and rocker f in unison may vary more or less in practice. The drawings show attached to the .inner portion of the cylindrical extension or sleeve 2) pertaining to head 6 a depending arm 6 having a slotted'or open lower end, as shown in detail in Fig. 1 and the rocker f is furnished with an arm f extending upwardly therefrom. The upper end of arm f carries a roll working in the slot or opening 6 of arm b Thereby arms 6 and f are connected so that head 6 and post f shall swing in unison and in the same direction. With the-upper end of arm 7' I connect pi votally at f the lower arm of a lever 9, see more especially Fig. 3, the said lever having a slotted or forked upper end,'in the slot 9 of which works the cam 1 on shafte. Lever g-is pivotally connected at g Figs; 3 and 4, as by center screws, with one extremity of slotted eropen link g3, within the opening ofwhich the lever 9 works, the other extremity of said link being connected at go dil tit

shaped. hand-lever which, in turn, is pivoted at f, by center screws, to suitable projections connected with the post a. By adjustment of hand-lever the extentof the feed movement is varied.

A. hooked needle is shown at 71 it working upward from below through a slot in the under clamp f, and being carried by the needle-bar it, which latter is operatively connected by link it with an arm of rocker 7&3 located within base a of the machine, the said rocker having a second arm which has connected therew'th the lower extremity of,

a rod 7L4 provided with. a strap fitting an eccentric at 71 on shaft 6. The usual threadcarrier for laying the thread into the open eye of needle 71 -is represented at 2'. it being at-tached to a rocking arm '5 which is constructed. arranged, and operatively combined with an eccentric on shaft 0, as at 2' substantially as in mv United States Letters Patent No. l-90,856, granted January 31, 1893, to which reference may be had. The swinging arm onv which arm a" is mounted is pivoted at 2' Fig. 1, to the brackets a projecting from arm a In the form of machine in which the various features of the invention are shown embodied, the usual cast-off is dispensed with. the needle being adapted to' shed or discl'iarge the loop without the aid of a castofl for the purpose. The essential operations of sewing are performed by the awl. needle. and th-read- 1uide. The machine is greatly simplified through the employment of a self-discharging needle and the omission of the cast-off and its associated parts. and a much higher rate of speed is attained in practice than could be secured if these were em 'iloyed.

The spring: for depressing,- the presser-bar and presser-foot is shown at (5 see more especially 5, it being in the present case in the form of a. spiral spring that is compressed. between a collar (i attached to the upper portion of presser-bar a. and a collar (.Z carried by a screw (Z fitting a screwthreaded hole in a bracket d attached to head 6. By turning the said screw the tension of the spring (Z may be variedin order to adjust the pressure of the presser-foot against the material beneath the latter. For the purpose of lifting the -presser-foot manually whenever required. the usual lifting lever (i is provided. its forward extremity being arranged to take under an extension. of collar d At the time at which the feeding movement takes place, the material being" stitched is clamped between the presser-foot and. the under clamp f. The use of the under clamp or feed, moving in unison with the upper feed, is especially advantageous in closing seams, c. in operating upon work in which it is required to start the stitching upon two newness or more loose pieces of material lying superimposed upon 'each other.

In practice, automat'c presser-foot l.ift'

inn mechanism for the pur will be employed pose of rat mg the presser-foot from the ma terial being operated upon (such material being indicated in dotted lines at w in'Fig. 1 of the drawings) after each feed movement of the feeding devices and prior to the reverse or return movement of the said devices. I have shown in the accompanying drawings a form of automatic presser-foot lifting mechanism which constitutes the sub iectof United'States Letters Patent No. 879,565, granted to me February 18, 1908. Briefly described, the said mechanism comprises a sleeve on, see more particularly Fig. 5, fitted upon the presser-bar d within the opening of the head 7) and between the bearings b b in the said headto which the presser-bar is fitted, the said sleeve being slotted transversely as at m, and receiving in the slot a block m making contact with the surface of the presser-bar, the sleeve beinoformed. moreover, with an open, or slotted bracket 1% extending horizontally therefrom and receiving within its opening the toggle arrangement which is employed for the purpose of clamping the sleeve and bar together. The said toggle arrangement comprises an abutment screw in having a rounded or convex inner end and applied to a threaded hole which is provided in the outer portion of the bracket m of sleeve m, a strut m" formed with rounded or convex opposite ends and having one of such ends titted into a cup or concavity in the back of the block 121?, and a lever m intervening between the proximate ends of the screw m and strut m the said lever having rounded concavities in the opposite faces of its upwardly extending arm fitting the convex inner extremity of'the said screw and the correspondingly formed outer extremity of the said strut. The lever 1% has a horizontallv extending arm resting on the tappet m which is provided on the small rockshaft m extending transversely across the face of the head at the left hand end of the machine, the said rock-shaft 1% being pivoted to opposite brackets m m with which the head is provided. and having an arm m which is connected hv means of the link m with a block m which is made fast to the awl-bar. By the described means the rockshaft m is actuated from the awl-bar. In the rise of the latter the tappet m is swung upwardly, thereby operating the toggle to clamp the sleeve to the presser-bar, and as soon as the clamping has been effected the continued upward movement of the tappet m" operates to raise the connected sleeve and presser-bar. A spring m surrounds the presser-bar, between the upper end of the sleeve m and a portion of the head Z above the same. It operates at the times when the sleeve is unclamped from the resser-bar, to depress the sleeve so as to hold the lever m at all times resting against the tappet m or the surface of the portion of the rock shaft on from which the said tappetprojccts.

One advantage of mounting the head to swing in the line of the feed concentrically with the shaft 6 has already been indicated in this specification. The herein-described construction comprising the cylindrical extension or sleeve with which the head is provided, fitted to bearings in the fixed frame of the machine and itself furnished with bearings receiving the said shaft, is especially compact, simple, durable, and free from liability to wear or breakage. The weight that is located above the axis of oscillation of the head acts to counterbalance the weight that is located below such axis. Consequently, the illustrated machine is particularly well adapted to the attainment and maintenance of exceedingly high speed, and at such speed is free from noise and vibration.

A characteristicof the under clamp shown in the drawings is the fact that it is fixed to the upright arm f of rocker f and carried entirely thereby. No guides or the like upon the work-support a? are required.

therefor.

. I claim as my invention:--'

1. In asewing machine, in combination, an operating shaft, an awl-bar carrying an awl and a needle-bar carrying a needle, means for imparting endwise motion to the said bars from the said operating shaft, :1 head having one of said bars guided therein, and means for producing continuous vibratory movement of said head concentrically with respect to the said shaft and relative to the latter during the operation of the machine for the purposes of the feed.

In a sewing machine, in combination, an operating shaft, an awl-bar carrying an aw] and a needle-bar carrying a needle, means for operating said bars, a head having a sleeve concentric with saidshaft and also having one of said bars guided therein, and means for producing continuous vibratory' movement of said head during the operation of the machine for the purposes of the feed.

3. In a sewing machine, in combination, the fixed frame of. the machine, an operating shaft, the head journaled concentrically with the said shaft, means to vibrate the said head around the said shaft and thereby occasion the feedanovement thereof, the presser-bar and resser-foot carried by the said head, and automatic presser-f-oot lifting mechanism operated fromthe'said shaf".

4. In a sewing machine, in combination, a counter-balanced head mounted to swing or vibrate, feeding devices carried by the said head, and means to communicate continuous vibratory movement to the said'he'ad during the operation of the machine for the purposes of the feed.

5. In a sewing machine, in combination,

a rotating operating shaft, a movable head,

feeding devices carried by the said. head, and means to continuously swing or vibrate said head concentrically around said shaft during the operation of the machine for the purposes of the feed.

6. In a sewing machine, in combination,

a rotating drive-shaft, a roeke'rmounted to swing concentrically around said driveshaft, feeding means carried by said rocker and made operative to feed by the swinging movement thereof, and actuating-devices operatively connected with the said rocker and transmitting feed-movements to the,

same. a

7. In a sewing-machine, in combination, a rotating drive-shaft, a rocker mounted to swing concentrically around said driveshaft, a presser-bar and presser mounted in said rocker, means operatively connected with said shaft to vibrate the said rocker around the shaft in the line of the feed, and

automatic presser-footlifting mechanism operated from the shaft. f

8. In a chain-stitch sewing machine, in combination, an awl, an awl-bar, a non-rotative needle-bar, a self-discharging straight needle carried thereby operating. to discharge the loop therefrom independently 'of a cast-off, thereby dis ensing with the latter, a thread-guide for applying thread to the said needle, and means for operating the said parts to perform sewing.

9; In a sewing machine, in combination,

a driveshaft, a counterbalanced head mounted to swing or vibrate concentrically with the said drive-shaft, feeding -means carried by the said head, and means operatively connected with the said drive-shaft to communicate continuous vibratory movement to the said head during the operation of the machine, for the purposes of the'feed.

10. In a sewing machine, in combination,

an operating shaft, the sewing-machine head sleeved concentrically with the said shaft and provided with feeding devices, and actuating devices connected with the sleeve of said head and communicating feedinovenients to the head by vibrating it around the shaft.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, an operating shaft, a feed-cam on said shaft. the sewing-ina'chil'ie head journaled concentrically with the shaft and provided with feeding devices, and devices transmit-ting movemept from the cam to the head. and iibrating'tfihe head around the shaft to occasipnth'e feed.

12. in a sewing machine, in combination,

the fixed frame of the machine, an operating shaft, a cam, the head of the machine having a cylindrical extension or sleeve fitting hearings in the said frame concentric with said shaft, the said. head having in connection therewith means to engage the material he 111g stitched for the purpose of feeding the L I I are occasioned by swinging it about the axis 1, mechanism operated from the 15. In a sewn'ig machine, in combination,

of the said shaft as a center.

13. In a sewing machine, in combination,

the fixed frame of the machine, an operating shaft, the head of the machine having a cylindrical extension or sleeve fitting hear ings in the saidfixed frame and itself provided with bearings receiving the said'shaft, the said head having in connection there with means to engage the material. being stitched for the purpose of feeding the said material, and means to occasion the feed movements of the said head by swinging it about the axis of the said shaft as center.

14. In a sewing machine, in combination, the fixed frame of the machine, an operating shaft, the head haa 'ing. the cylindrical extension or sleeve fitted to hearings in the said fixed frame concentric with the said .shaft, means to swing the said head to occa sion the feed movements thereof, the Presser-bar and presser-foot carried by said head, and automatic presser-foot lifting said shaft.

the head, the presser-har nionnteiil on the said head, the pISS1.fOOt, the under clamp, and means to move said head and under clamp transversely in unison to feed the material being operated upon.

16. In a sew ng machine, in con'ihination, the head, the presser-har mounted on the said head, the presser-foot, the under clan-1p,

the rocker having the said clamp rigidly supported thereby and means to more said head and rocker transversely in unison, whereby the presser-foot and ni'idcr clamps are caused. to move in unison in the line of the feed.

17. In a sewing machine, in. con'ihination, the fixed frame of the machine, an operating shaft, the head mounted to swing concentrically with the said shaft, the presscrbar mounted on said head, the presser-foot, the under clamp,

the rocker with which the said clamp is connected, a cam. said sha" and a lever g operatively connected with said head and rocker and actuated by the said cam.

18. In a sewing machine, 111 combination,

' the fixed frame of the machine, an operating shaft, the head mounted to swing concentrically with the said shaft, the presscroar mounted on said head, the presserfoot, toe under clamp, the rocker with which the said clamp is connected, a cam on said shaft, a lever g operatively connected with said head and rocker and actuated by the said cam, the link g connected with the said lever, and the hand-lever g to which. said link is also connected.

19. In a sewing machine, in combination, thefixed frame of the machine, an operating' shaft, the head having the cylindrical extension or sleeve fitting hearings in the said frame and itself provided with bearings receiving the said shaft, the presscr-har mounted on said head, the presser-l'oot, the under clamp, the rocker with which the said clamp is connected, the arms connected with said. cylindrical extension or sleeve and rocker, the lever operatively connected *ith said arms, and the cam on said shaft actuating said lever.

' 20. in a sewing machine, in combination, the fixed frame of the machine, an operating shaft, the head having the cylindrical extension or sleeve fitting hearings in the said frame and itself provided with bear: ings receiving the said shaft, the presserbar mounted on said head, the presser-foot, the under clamp, the rocker with. which the said clamp is connected, the arms connected with said cylindrical extension or sleeve and rocker, the lever operatively connected with said arms, the cam on said shaft actuating said lever, the link connected with said lever, and the hand-lever with which said link is also connected.

21. In a sewing machine, in combination, the fixed frame ofthe machine, an operating shaft, the head having the cylindrical cxtension or sleeve fitting hearings in the said frame and itself provided \v'th hearings re ceiving the said shaft, the presser-har mounted on said head, the prcsser-foot, the under clamp, the rocker with. which the said clamp is connected, the arms connected. with said cylindrical extension or sleeve and rocker, the lever operatively connected with said arms, the cam on said shaft actuating said lever, the link connected with said lever, and the hand-lever with which said link is also connected.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatare, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK l-V. MERRICK.

Witnesses CHAS. F. RANDALL, iVILLL-iir A. COPELA NI). 

